The present invention relates to a tool for rotating a rod or post, such as a stud. A threaded rod such as a stud fastener, often times presents an assembly or disassembly problem in that there generally is no gripping surface on such a fastener against which to apply a torque force to rotate the fastener. This is particularly true when there are very close tolerances between the stud fastener and the threaded opening into which it is threaded, requiring a high torque level for rotation of the fastener relative to material into which it is being inserted or from which it is being removed. Occasionally threaded rods, or studs, are placed into working environments wherein corrosive liquids or gases are present causing a locking or seizing to occur between the stud and its surrounding material, increasing the difficulty of removal of the stud.
Various mechanisms have been proposed for assisting in stud removal or inserting. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,292 discloses a device which could be used to remove a stud. This device employs an arrangement of loose jaws which engage against ramp surfaces to selectively move the jaws radially inwardly to grip a central post when the tool is rotated in one rotational direction. Rotation in an opposite direction will cause the jaws to loosen from the post. Therefore, such a device can be used only to rotate the post in one rotational direction.
It would be an advance in the art if there were provided an easy to use tool, economically manufactured and maintained, for radially rotating a rod in either rotational direction.